NewsLocal NewsIn Your NeighborhoodPunta Gorda

Actions

'You're being very brave': Body camera video shows moments after shark attack

Leah Lendel, 9, is recovering after nearly losing her hand in a shark attack on Wednesday.
bodycam.jpg
Posted
and last updated

BOCA GRANDE, Fla. — The family of 9-year-old Leah Lendel says she's making remarkable progress in her recovery after nearly losing her hand in a shark attack in Boca Grande on Wednesday.

Leah was able to move all of her fingers on Friday morning, something her family called a miracle.

Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on Leah Lendel's recovery:

"You're being very brave:" Body camera footage shows moments after shark attack

Surgeons repaired her hand after she was airlifted from Boca Grande following the shark attack in shallow water.

Body camera video from Lee County deputies shows first responders treating Leah moments after the attack.

"Hey there sweetheart, you're being very brave," the deputy can be heard saying in the video.

The footage also shows Raynel Lugo and other men who helped pull the Lendel family out of the water after the attack. The men said the shark was about eight feet long.

family.jpg
The Lendel family.

Raynel and the others also wrapped Leah’s hand in a towel while waiting for EMS.

"Good job guys I think you really made a difference,” the deputy says to the men in the video. “I think it would have been a lot worse if you weren't here.

Just two days after the attack, more than $35,000 has been raised for Leah's medical expenses through a GoFundMe campaign.

Hear from the men that saved the family:

9-year-old girl recovering after shark attack in Boca Grande

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.